America’s Fastest (and Slowest) Growing States

America is always on the move.

Over time, some states see population explosions, while others experience slow growth or even decline. Where have Americans been going in recent years?

In the decade from 2010 to 2020, these states saw the biggest population growth:ⁱ

#5 — Nevada (+15%)
#4 — North Dakota (+15.8%)
#3 — Texas (+15.9%)
#2 — Idaho (+17.3%)
#1 — Utah (+18.4%)

The states with the lowest population growth?

#5 — Michigan (+2%)
#4 — Connecticut (+0.9%)
#3 — Illinois (-0.1%)
#2 — Mississippi (-0.2%)
#1 — West Virginia (-3.2%)

But the state taking the biggest population losses … isn’t a state at all.

The American territory of Puerto Rico lost 11.8% of its population over the course of the decade.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

1. Utah was the fastest growing state of the past decade, with an 18% population increase.
2. West Virginia saw the biggest decrease of any state, with a decline of over 3%.
3. Puerto Rico lost nearly 12% of its population in just 10 years.